Putin backs Poroshenko's cease-fire, calls for 'dialogue'

(QHA) -

Russian television has shown President Vladimir Putin giving cautious support to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's unilateral cease-fire but also saying that any cessation of hostilities is meaningless without "dialogue." Appearing on the "Rossiya 24" television channel on June 22, Putin said fighting in eastern Ukraine between government forces and pro-Russian separatists needs to stop.But Putin said reconciliation in Ukraine depends upon a "dialogue among all the warring factions" in order to find solutions that are acceptable to everyone, particularly people in southeastern Ukraine,RFE/RL reports.Putin also said that there was artillery fire overnight from Ukrainian territory, and that some shells had landed in Russian territory. But he said it was not clear who was responsible for firing those barrages.Putin did not say where in Russia the artillery shells landed.Putin has also ordered military forces in central Russia to be on "full combat alert" in a surprise test of their battle readiness.